


Hawthorn

by ThimbleOfWeeds



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Female Harry Potter, Gen, James Potter Lives, No Horcruxes, Voldemort (Harry Potter) Dies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:00:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23696608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThimbleOfWeeds/pseuds/ThimbleOfWeeds
Summary: Karya Potter's mother died on Halloween 1981. James Potter never recovered. All he saw when he looked at Karya was her mother and his failures. Karya Potter grew up alone in a big house. She dreamed of going to Hogwarts, of making friends, of finding a home.
Comments: 9
Kudos: 44





	1. Happy Birthday

October 31st, 1981 changed the Potter Family forever. While James Potter was out fighting Death Eaters, their master assaulted the safe house where Lily Potter watched over their child, Violet Potter. No one knows how long the pair fought or what happened during the fight, but when James Potter returned home, the bodies of Lily and Voldemort were surrounded by ashes and the charred remains of their living room. The War ended not on a battlefield, but in a cottage at Godric's Hollow.

Karya Potter, being one at the time, doesn't remember that night. She does remember sitting in her room, looking through albums of the time before, and pretending her mother was still alive. Maybe then she'd have more albums to go through. Maybe she would be able to go to places like Diagon Alley or even France like so many of her friends did. Maybe she would be able to celebrate Yule and Easter instead of opening presents by herself. But Lily had died, and her father was too busy at the Ministry to have time to take her to Diagon Alley or to open gifts together on Yule. Her father was always busy. He always had something that needed his attention, a bill in the Wizengamot, a case for the Aurors, dinner plans with Uncle Sirius, there was always something.

At least she had Moony. He was her tutor, along with many other of the Light side children. He would usually Floo home with her after he had finished teaching at the Longbottoms, and they would spend a few hours playing chess or reading books until her father came home from work. He always gave the best presents as well. For her birthday this year, he gave her Lily's old school books along with a picture from when Lily and Father were in school. The books were the only things of Lily Karya owned, and she had already started to read through them in preperation for Hogwarts.

Today was shaping up to be her best birthday, by far. Her Hogwarts letter had come last week, and her father had promised to take her to Diagon Alley today to get her supplies and a birthday gift of some sort. This was the first time that her father would take her to Diagon Alley. Uncle Sirius had taken her a few years ago, but that was just to get new robes. Now she was going to see if she could get a new broom. The Nimbus 2000 had just come out, and Ernie swore it blew the Comet 260 out of the water. Karya dressed in lavender robes, and headed down to the dining room for breakfast.

The dining room was quite large. This was the family dining room, but it had still been designed to fit over a dozen people. Now that only two people lived in Potter Manor, one of whom rarely ate in the dining room, the large table seemed excessive. A feast of breakfast food sat in the center of the wooden table. It was too much for ten people, let alone one, but Karya assumed it was a gift for her from the kitchen house elves. Karya sat down at one of the chairs before she piled on the chocolate pancakes, slathering on raspberry jam. A house elf appeared and began to pour her a cup of tea. "Mistress shoulds remember to eat some fruit," Dippy said as she set down the cup of tea.

"Jam is made of fruit, Dippy. Doesn't that count?" Karya asked with what she hoped was a winning smile.

Dippy smiled back and said, "No Mistress." She then put an apple in front of her plate.

"Dippy," Karya said quickly, before the house elf could pop away, "Is Father awake?"

"Master bes sleeping still. Hes was awake late last night, Mistress."

"We're going to Diagon today, Dippy," Karya said excitedly. She was going to get her wand! And maybe an owl too.

The smile dropped off Dippy's face briefly before she said, "Master did not sleep until late this morning, Mistress."

"He promised, Dippy. He was probably just getting all of his work out of the way, so we can spend all day together." He promised. They were going to Diagon together. Her father had to see her get her wand.

"Yes, Mistress," Dippy said before popping away.

Karya finished her breakfast, less excited than when she had woken up today. After she finished, she went back to her room to reread her Hogwarts letter while she waited for her father to wake up. After she read it a dozen times, she sighed and headed to the library.

Potter Manor had a large library that was full of ancient and rare texts. Rows and rows of marble bookshelves filled the room, each one had a variety of runes carved into it, to stop fires and thieves from damaging the collection. Plush chairs with faded, red fabric were sat around small, wooden tables and scattered around the room. Karya walked to her favorite chair, next to the section of the library with the newest books, and plopped down. There was a book, The Adventures of the Cursed Rune Master, lying on the table, right where she left it the night before. The book was new, a gift from Uncle Sirius for her birthday. As she picked it up, it began to flip its pages, stopping at the page she had left off at last night. Karya settled into the chair, and continued the tale of Lycus Pock, only stopping when Dippy appeared next to her with a pop.

"Lunch bes ready, Mistress."

"I wanted to get lunch in Diagon, Dippy. Is Father still asleep?" Karya asked as she closed the book again.

"Yes Mistress."

Karya bit her lip before she said, "I guess I'll go wake him up? Could you make some tea for him, Dippy?"

"Yes Mistress. Should I put lunch away, Mistress?"

"Please Dippy. I'm sure Father will be ready in time for us to eat in Diagon." Karya stood up and left the library. Her father had promised to go to get everything today, and if they waited too long to go, all the good potion supplies would be gone.

Karya stopped outside of her father's bedroom. It was on the far side of the manor from hers. She was in the family wing though her bedroom was the only nonempty one in the wing. Meanwhile, her father had a room next to his study and the library converted to his bedroom years ago. According to Dippy, it used to be a personal sitting room. With a breath, Karya knocked on the door and waited. A minute passed with no sound from the other side, and Karya opened the door.

Her father's room was dark. The curtains blocked out any light from the windows, but it still seemed darker than it should be. Clothes were strewn all over the room, and Karya spied an empty bottle next to chair in the corner. The bed sat in the center of the room. Her father was lying haphazardly on top of the comforter, but it looked like a house elf had come in and placed a blanket over him after he fell asleep. Karya stepped into the room, the light from the hall providing a path to the bed. She approached hesitantly, as if the floor would swallow her if she walked too fast, if her steps were too loud. When she reached the bed, Karya gently shook her fathers arm. "Father?" she whispered.

He moved in his sleep and let out a small groan, but he didn't wake. Karya shook a little harder. "It's lunch time, Father."

With a grumble, his eyes blinked open. "Karya? What's going on?"

"You said you'd take me to Diagon today. To get my wand," Karya said.

Her father sat up, and rubbed his eyes, and let out a yawn. "Let me get ready, okay?"

"Yes Father," she thought about giving him a hug or something, but before she could really gather the nerve to do it, she lost it, choosing to just leave the room.

Karya went back to the library, and sat down to keep reading her new book. After a few minutes, however, she gave up; she just couldn't keep her focus on the book. Instead, she walked back to her room, and grabbed her Hogwarts letter again. Since she already had Lily's books, she didn't really need to go to Flourish & Blotts, but maybe she could get a few new books anyway. Eventually, Karya grew impatient, and she called out for Dippy again. "Dippy, is Father ready yet?"

"Not yet, Mistress."

Karya sighed, plopping down on her bed. "How much longer do you think he'll be?"

"Is not sure, Mistress."

"Well thank you anyway, Dippy."

"Does Mistress be wanting lunch?"

"No, Dippy. I'm sure we'll get something in Diagon."

"Yes Mistress."

Dippy popped away, and Karya let out another sigh. Surely her father would be done soon. She got up, and began to go through Lily's old schoolbooks.

Karya wasn't sure how much time had passed when Dippy popped into her room again, but she had gotten through a large chunk of her Potions book.

"Dippy?" Karya asked as she closed the book. "Is Father ready now?"

"Nos, Mistress. Yous should be eating something," Dippy said mournfully.

"I'm eating in Diagon."

"Mistress. It bes getting late. You still haven't had lunch."

"I'm eating in Diagon. Where's Father?"

Dippy looked upset, but she still answered, "Hes be in his room."

"Thank you, Dippy. That will be all." Karya stood up from her bed, and headed to her father's room. He had promised that they could go to Diagon today. He had taken the day off work and everything. She was supposed to get her wand today. Her father just needed to hurry up and get dressed, and then they could go.

Her steps slowed as she approached her father's bedroom, and the knocks on his door were quiet. She didn't hear a reply at first, but she knocked again.

"What?" she heard her father ask. He sounded grouchy. Oh no. It was too late now.

"Father? Are you almost ready?"

She heard a sigh before door opened. Her father was dressed in black robes. There was a cup of something in his hand, and Karya could tell what was going to happen.

"You promised," she said softly. It was supposed to be different this time.

Her father looked at her for a moment before looking down. "I know, but something came up."

"Something always comes up."

"I'm sorry, Karya," he whispered. "I.... I can't."

"I'm supposed to get my wand. It's my birthday."

He walked past her and into his study. Karya watched him, still standing in his bedroom doorway. After a minute, he came back, with a golden key in his hand.

"Here. It's the key to the Potter vault in Gringotts. You're responsible. You can get everything you need." He pushed the key into her hands before turning back to his room.

"I thought Diagon was dangerous by myself?" she asked, louder than before. This was a challenge.

Her father almost turned back to look at her, but instead he sagged and took a sip out of his cup. "Stay out of Knockturn." He walked back into his bedroom and closed the door.

Karya felt herself sag, and tears began to slide down her face. She stifled a sob before walking to the entryway. She sank down to the marble floor next to the Flooplace before she tried to stop her tears. She should have known better. He never kept his promises. Why would this time be different? Just because it was her birthday? Because she was about to go to Hogwarts? He didn't care about that. He didn't care about her.

After a few more minutes, Karya managed to get herself under control. She wiped away the last of her tears, before calling for Dippy. "Could you bring me my bag, Dippy?"

"Mistress bes leaving?" Dippy asked with a look of concern.

"I'm going to Diagon."

"Master knows about this?"

"He does."

"But Master bes staying?"

"I'm 11 now, Dippy. He says I'm old enough to go by myself."

Dippy looked skeptical, but she still summoned Karya's extendable bag.

"Thank you, Dippy," Karya said before she stepped into the Floo. "Diagon Alley!"


	2. To Diagon!

After withdrawing many more galleons than was necessary from the Potter vault at Gringotts, Karya stepped onto the cobblestone of Diagon Alley. Kids were running around everywhere, their parents shouts chasing after them. Banners stretched across the Alley, ads for various businesses sliding across their fabric. Merchants were standing next to stalls yelling out their wares, attempting to lure in customers. It was bright and loud and magical. Karya took out her Hogwarts list though she already had it memorized, and she began to head down the Alley. The Hogwarts letters had come out nearly a week ago, and as this was a Wednesday, the Alley was only slightly busier than usual. There were many teenagers wandering around, licking ice cream cones from Fortescue's, and chatting with their friends.

Karya weaved through the crowds, keeping one hand on her bag. Her first stop was Slugs & Jiggers where she picked out all the potion ingredients she needed as well as the cauldron. She already had scales, but she did have to stop to buy a telescope. All her purchases went into expanded bag as she continued down the Alley.

She ducked into Madam Malkin's and said madam greeted her warmly, "Hogwarts, dear?" Karya nodded, and Madam Malkin gave her a smile before leading her deeper into the shop. "Stand there, dear, and we'll get you all sorted out." Karya stepped up to the tailoring podium, and a tailor draped a plain black robe over her before getting to work. A blond haired boy with a pointy chin was being attended to by another apprentice. He looked bored, as he watched tape measuring the length of his wrists.

"Hello," he said with a drawl, "Hogwarts, too?"

"Yes. It will be my first year," answered Karya as she watched the tailor pin up her hem.

"Mine as well. My mother's looking at wands for me now. My father's buying my books. What house do you think you'll be in?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well Father says it will be a shame if I'm not in Slytherin. Imagine going to Hufflepuff. Might as well transfer- ow!" Draco looked down at the attendent who had poked his leg. "Be more careful down there!"

"I think my uncle would cry if I got Slytherin. He's a Gryffindor," Karya said carefully.

Draco stopped glaring at the attendant to look back at her. "Who's your Uncle? I couldn't imagine being upset about going to Slytherin. Though I think my mother would throw a fit if I was in Gryffindor."

"Sirius Black. He's not really my uncle, but he is my godfather."

"Oh! I'm related to Lord Black. He's my mother's cousin!" Draco said excitedly. He looked her over once again.

"You must be Draco Malfoy," Karya said.

"The very same. And you are?"

"Karya Potter."

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you." Draco stretched out his hand to her, and Karya looked at it for a second before shaking it.

"So do you play Quidditch?"

"No, but I do love flying."

Draco was about to answer, but his attendant stood up and said, "You're all finished. We'll mail your packages to you shortly."

Draco nodded and stepped off the platform. "It was nice to meet you, Potter," he said before he left the room.

"You too, Malfoy."

Shortly after, Karya's own attendant finished her work, and led her to the counter at the front of the store to pay.

Karya then headed further up the Alley to Ollivander's, the store she had been wanting to enter since she was little. A bell sounded as Karya pushed the door open. Dust particles floated through the air, and the building smelled of the forest and mold at the same time. It felt like time stopped as soon as she stepped into the store. Behind a scorched and scarred counter were rows and rows of small, little boxes.

"Miss Potter" a voice asked as an old man with tufts of white hair atop his head walked out from between the rows, "I was wondering when you would enter my store."

"How do you know who I am?" asked Karya.

"You have your mother's eyes, miss," Ollivander said simply as his large, silvery eyes bored into her own.

"Oh."

The silence dragged on for a minute before Ollivander shuffled towards her and said, "Here for a wand, then?"

"Yes. Please." Karya smiled. It was finally happening. Soon she'd have a wand, and be able to start doing magic. Finally.

The room burst into motion. A tape measure began to wrap itself around various parts of her body, Ollivander walked back into between the rows, and dozens of boxes pulled themselves out of the shelves and floated towards the counter in front of Karya. Eventually the tape measure fell to the ground, and Ollivander came forward from the shelves again. He pulled out one of the boxes from the top of the counter and handed it to her. 

As soon as she picked up the wand, he snatched it back. "Not that one," he murmured before handing her one from the other end of the pile. She was allowed to try this one. As soon as she waved the wand, it let out puffs of smoke. Ollivander grimaced as she handed the wand back to him. And so it went on and on until finally, Olivander handed her a light brown wand that had a slight curve to it. As soon as she took it, she felt something within herself connect with the wand. She waved it through the air, and one of the scorch marks in the counter was repaired. "Hawthorn. Phoenix feather core. 10 3/4 inches. Flexible. A strange wand. Powerful. Good luck, Miss Potter." He placed her new wand in the box, and with a wave, all the other wands returned to the shelves, leaving hers on the counter by itself. "That will be seven galleons." 

Karya handed over the money before taking the wand. Finally. She finally had a wand. She could practice magic. She would be able to do anything soon enough. Karya left the musty store with her new wand stashed in the pocket of her robe. She felt complete in a way that she hadn't before. She felt like she could take on the world.

The witch headed down the Alley once more. Now that she had her wand, and most of her school supplies, Karya just wandered throughout the Alley, something she had never had the chance to do before. Whenever Moony or Uncle Sirius took her to Diagon, they would go for a specific. Sometimes Uncle Sirius would stop in at Zonko's or Quality Quidditch Supplies and usually Moony would allow a detour to Flourish & Blotts, but Karya had never just been able to explore the Alley. She took advantage of today, and she strolled down the street, popping into whatever stores looked interesting. She saw a store that sold jewelry that would change shape based on the position of the stars, another was full of plants that would pick themselves, and there was one that was supposedly full of foods that would do all sorts of strange things when ingested. Karya bought herself a bracelet from the jewelry store and a cupcake that was supposed to turn your hair blue when eaten, it was her birthday after all.

Then she wandered into Magical Menegrie to look for a pet for Hogwarts, another birthday present from her father. Karya had been planning on getting an owl for herself, and she saw a lovely looking snowy staring straight at her. But who would she write to? Her father didn't talk to her even when she was in the house. Instead, Karya wandered over to look at the cats. The store had many, many cats. There was one with fur like a chameleon, one had striped fur like a zebra, a third had mushrooms growing off of it instead of fur though Karya wasn't completely sure that was actually a cat. There was more ordinary cats as well, siamese, tabby, and one that looked like a cross between squashed garbage and an orange puffball. Eventually, Karya found a black cat that purred when she pet it and would lick her hand when she stopped. She picked it up, and the cat nestled into her arms as she walked to the counter.

After buying her new pet as well as supplies for the cat, Karya exited the store again. Even with her Extendable bag, Karya was starting to be weighed down with all of her purchases. The pet carrier and her new Hogwarts trunk wouldn't fit in her bag, and Karya was reluctant to put her books in her bag in fear of them breaking something. "Dippy!" she called out.

Her loyal house elf appeared, "Mistress called?"

"Could you take my trunk and my new pet to my room, please?"

"Yes Mistress. Will yous be eating dinner in Diagon?"

"I will, Dippy. Don't worry about making anything for me."

"Yes Mistress. Yous should make sure to eat something other than ice cream." Dippy threw a serious look at her before popping away.

Now freed from her bulkier purchases, Karya continued down the Alley. She continued peeking into stores and buying more birthday presents for herself as she meandered through the street. She stopped at a stall and bought a pumpkin roll that she munched on while she ate. Eventually she found herself in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies. While there had been a massive crowd of people around the store earlier, it was quieter inside now that the day had grown darker. All the shoppers still near the store were admiring the Nimbus 2000. Understandably. The brand new broom was sleek, not a twig was out of place, and the whole broom gleamed. It was standing on a stand in the front window, with miniature Quidditch figurines flying around it.

Karya stood in front of it, staring at it, like many of the other customers. She wanted it; however, the broom undoubtedly cost more than all of her purchases today combined. While she had gone on a shopping spree today, partly due to her birthday but mostly because her father had yet again failed to keep his promise or celebrate her birthday at all, this was still a bit excessive. In a month, she wouldn't even be able to use it. But her father hadn't even come to see her get her wand. Moony said that was one of the most important occasions in a wizard or witches life. He hadn't even bothered to live his bedroom. 

Karya walked into the store, and approached the sales wizard at the counter. "How much for a Nimbus 2000?" 

The wizard eyed her up and down, "Where's your parents, kid?"

"They're at Flourish & Blotts, picking up some new books," Karya replied, "I have enough money for it."

"You don't even know how much it is."

"I have enough," Karya assured. 

"Oh. One of those. It's 100 galleons."

Karya nodded and reached her hand into her bag. She thought of 100 galleons and that amount appeared in her hand, spilling over as she pulled it out. She repeated the process until she had finally pulled out enough money. 

The clerk raised his eyebrow before he turned to go into the back. She heard him mumble something about spoiled purebloods under his breath as he walked away, but she didn't let that bother her. She would think the same thing of an 11 year old with enough money in her pocket to buy the newest broom on the market. The clerk returned soon enough with the Nimbus 2000, wrapped in brown paper. Karya bought a broom cleaning kit as well just because she could before she shoved both purchases in her bag and left the store.

Karya's next stop was at Fortescue's to get a chocolate and sugar plum sundae. What Dippy didn't know wouldn't hurt her after all. After she finished her dinner, Karya went back to Gringotts and pulled out even more galleons, stuffing them into her bag. She doubted her father would even notice the galleons she took. After Karya got tired of shoveling gold into her figurative pockets, Karya returned to the Diagon Floo Point, and flooed back home. 

The entry of Potter Manor was empty, as was the rest of the house. Karya made her way to her father's study to drop off the Gringotts key. She put her ear against the door to make sure he wasn't in there before she went. He must be drinking in his bedroom again. Or he went to Uncle Sirius'. Either way, she left the Gringotts key on the desk before she walked to the other side of her house and into her room. She spent the rest of the night packing her new trunk full of her school supplies.


End file.
